Clinical assessment of malnutrition in patients with gastrointestinal cancer during chemotherapy: a prospective study

Background: Malnutrition is common in patients with cancer and in many cases can result in shortened survival rate. More than 20% of cancer mortality can be attributed to the effects of malnutrition, rather than malignancy itself. Malnutrition results in poor response to treatment, increased length of hospital stay, immunodeficiency, reduced quality of life, and increased health care costs in patients with cancer

Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess the nutritional status of patients with gastrointestinal cancer during chemotherapy

Patients and Methods: In this study, 92 patients over the age of 18 who were referred to Valie-e-Asr hospital of Zanjan [since Apr, 2011 to Dec, 2011] were selected. Nutritional status of patients during 3 cycles of chemotherapy was assessed by a questionnaire. The obtained data were statistically analyzed by ANOVA, using SPSS 16.0

Results: There was a significant relationship between duration of treatment and the average of mid arm circumference [MAC] and body mass index [BMI]. BMI can be considered as an anthropometric index which can be used to alarm the physicians about nutrition problems of the patient

Conclusions: At the end of treatment, patients who survived had better nutritional statuses compared to the ones who passed away. During chemotherapy, malnutrition got worse in patients with metastatic esophageal cancer. Our findings show that patients with moderate or severe malnutrition are in the critical need to improve their malnutrition status

Peer education vs. health provider education in knowledge and attitude about prevention and transmission of AIDS in high school students

To compare knowledge and attitude of high school students who have thought about prevention and transmission of AIDS by peer group and health provider. This is an experimental study carried out on 417 students from six urban schools in Kerman. Group-1[n=212] received peer education, and group 2 [n=205] experiences health education. Both groups were administered, survey at three times: pre intervention and post intervention immediately after four and 6 weeks after the first post test. For both the groups eight sessions were organized about AIDS in 4 weeks. Every session lasted 30 minutes. Independent sample T test and repeated measure ANOVA were conducted to assess at baseline and after 4 and 6 weeks. Both groups had significant improvement in knowledge and attitude [p=0/000] and it was highly significant in peer education group [p=0/000]. Six weeks follow up after intervention showed that peer education was better than health provider education [p=0/000]. Education increases the knowledge and improves attitude of students about prevention and transmission of AIDS. Peer education is a more effective method than health provider for AIDS education in adolescent

Effect of vitex agnus castus on early menopausal symptoms in postmenopausal women

Background and purpose: Nowadays due to increase in women's life expectancy, women at least live one third of their lives after menopause. Menopause is usually accompanied with some early and late symptoms, which lead to decline the quality of daily activity of women. So concerning the increase in elderly rate in the world especially in our country [Iran], prevention and treatment of these symptoms by natural therapeutic agents are obviously important. This study has been designed to examine the vitex effects on early menopause symptoms, kupperman's index and the rate of side effects in vitex group and placebo group

Methods and materials: This study is a blind clinical trial conducted on 100 menopausal teachers aged 45-60 years old, who were working in girl's school in Sari, Iran. This sample population had the required characteristics for participating in this study and they were volunteer for treatment if they had hot flushes and others menopause symptoms. Sampling method was based on study objective‚ so we divided the sampling population into two equal, [control and case] groups. The two groups were given 40 drops of vitex or placebo per day for 2 cycles continuously. Required data were collected by interview, individual characteristics questionnaire and Kupperman's index in two phases before the treatment and eight phases after the treatment. Finally there was 25 persons in case group and 16 persons in control group for statistical analysis and the others were excluded from study because of bad taste of drug and other problems

Results: The intensity of hot flushes among the two groups after 2 weeks of treatment, based on Manwittny test, had a significant statistical difference [p=0.015]. The frequency of hot flushes per day in these groups after 2 weeks of treatment, based on T test with independent sample, were of significant statistical difference [p=0.015]. Regarding Kupperman's index in these two groups after 3 weeks of treatment by means of T test with independent sample analysis, It indicated that there is a significant statistical difference [p=0.001]. Also the results showed that complete recovery rate from hot flushes after eight weeks in drug group was %80 and in placebo group %12.5 and there was significant statistical variation in two groups concerning the side effects of drug [p=0.012]

Conclusion: Vitex can reduce the intensity and frequency of hot flushes per day and regarding Kupperman's index. Vitex may reduce some other early symptoms of menopause, but there are some unimportant side effects like nausea and flatulence. So vitex could be used as a natural therapeutic agent for treatment of early menopause symptoms in subjects who can't tolerate hormone therapy